The UK solar and storage markets are on the brink of overcoming a deployment roadblock, according to a number of vendors actively monitoring the territory.

Deployment of solar has reportedly halved in the UK as support has waned and the economics of post-subsidy projects remain on a knife-edge. Uncertainty around the future of the minimum import price (MIP) on modules and cells plus the macro-scale questions around Brexit have left the industry in limbo.

Young adult doing professional training on solar panels plant

Despite this, building regulations, system cost efficiencies, new business models and the addition of energy storage mean the industry is ready for a fresh phase of deployment. On the energy storage front, projected deployment has been slower to ramp than thought.

“The anticipated rollout of that has already shifted by a few years,” said Ron Shen, VP for international sales at inverter manufacturer GoodWe. “However, we are working with different partners on different social housing projects. I highly expect the harvest season to come for energy storage. We know that a lot of projects have reached financial close, legal issues have been settled and it looks like the contract structure is settled. The time now is to start the rollout.”

Read more: Solar Power Portal